What Are Opioids and Why Are They So Addictive?
Not everyone understands the question of what are opioids and what makes them so incredibly addictive. Opioid is a newer term that includes opiates, which are drugs derived from the opium poppy. It also includes synthetic and semi-synthetic versions that are created in a lab to mimic the effects of opium. Heroin and prescription painkillers such as oxycodone are both opioids. These drugs contain chemicals that bind to the opioid receptors in the brain, which then creates dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical that provides pleasure and pain relief.
Heroin users have described the high from the drug as equivalent to their happiest moment, multiplied many times over. When prescription opioids attach to the receptors in the brain, they provide pain relief and good feelings that come from the reward system in the brain. These are the type of strong feelings that tend to accompany activities such as eating or sex. These feelings produce a strong motivation to repeat the activity, even when it becomes harmful. The body also becomes tolerant to opioids relatively quickly and eventually needs higher dosages to produce the same effect.
What Are Opioids In Relation to Medicine?
When you ask the question what are opioids, you might also be wondering about their use in legitimate medical situations. The reason is that not everyone who takes opioids becomes addicted to them. Individuals may eventually become tolerant and end up with a physical dependence. Not everyone develops the physical and mental dependence that is the hallmark of addiction. When patients are dealing with chronic pain, then the use of opioids offsets the pain but does not cause an intense euphoria.
The high levels of euphoria trigger the cycle of reward and need to repeat the behavior. The other factor is that addiction itself is a mental disorder and the feelings of reward produced by opioids are stronger than what people without an addiction would feel. Addiction is characterized by an uncontrollable need to engage in a certain behavior, like substance abuse, even if the person wants to stop or is experiencing negative effects.
Professional Addiction Treatment Helps Opioid Recovery
Because addiction is not a character flaw or a weakness, but an actual disease, professional help is needed for recovery. Attending an addiction treatment center like Healing Springs Ranch in Tioga, Texas for a heroin addiction, or any other opiate, can help you discover and understand the underlying causes of your addiction. Many cases of addiction stem from past trauma and sometimes involves hidden trauma. Many of the staff at Healing Springs trained at the Trauma Institute and are experienced in discovering and treating such cases.
Opioid addiction does not have to control your life. Call Healing Springs Ranch at 866-656-8384 today to find out how you can recover from opioid addiction and enjoy long-term sobriety.